How the Essentium HSE 3D Printing Platform is Different Part 1: Speed & Precision

There are many types of 3D printers available today made by providers all over the world, from small hobby and classroom devices to large production-grade machines.

Most of these systems deliver on the many advantages of additive manufacturing over traditional subtractive manufacturing methods. Chief among them:

• rapid prototyping and iteration
• increased speed to part
• reduced molding and tooling costs with faster turnaround
• freedom in creativity and complexity of design
• wide range of material choices
• the lightweighting of parts and tools
• lowered dependence on third-party suppliers and associated vulnerability to supply chain interruptions

In truth, there are many excellent 3D printers to choose from, but when it comes to selecting a solution for industrial applications on the factory floor, one stands out above the rest.

This four-part series will look at how the Essentium High Speed Extrusion 3D Printing Platform is different from other additive manufacturing solutions through the lenses of Speed & Precision 3D printing, as well as Dependability & Reliability, Scale & Build Volume, and support for an Open Ecosystem of Materials.

How the Essentium HSE is Different: Speed & Precision 3D Printing

The Essentium HSE 180 Series is five to 15 times faster than any other extrusion printer on the market. It can extrude filament at speeds up to 500 mm per second. But what does that mean for manufacturers?

Most 3D printers offer two speeds based on resolution and layer height; usually a choice of high quality and a high speed or draft mode. It will plod along at a consistent speed for the selected mode. But speed is also a function of part design, which impacts how long something will take to print in real-time. If the part is designed to print in long straight moves, the Essentium HSE 180 Series with its variable speed 3G acceleration technology will easily outperform other systems. However, if the part is designed to print in shorter strokes with frequent starts and stops, the speed gap will narrow.

However, the real advantage of the Essentium HSE 180 Series concerning speed is its flexibility. Users are free to experiment with process controls and manipulate filament extrusion rates to up to 500 mm per second, depending upon the material type and nozzle diameter in use. The key difference is the Essentium HSE 180 Series’ ability to fine-tune extrusion speed to match applications. For example, when printing large jigs and fixtures, its top speed gives it the ability to print each layer fast enough for superior Z strength bonding, eliminating the occurrence of delamination when filaments begin to cool between layers.

As for precision, the Essentium HSE 180 Series is capable of positioning its print nozzle with one-micron tolerance over the target extrusion point for the highest possible degree of positional accuracy, not to be confused with print accuracy. When it comes to extruding filament accurately, there is more to it than making sure the print nozzle is in the right spot. Variables such as filament type, moisture content, extrusion rates, temperature, and nozzle diameter can affect print accuracy depending upon the process. Manufacturers do their best to control those variables, but print accuracy is often a function of user expertise and part design.

Where the Essentium HSE 180 Series shines is in positional accuracy. Many industrial 3D printers use a system of motors, belts, and pulleys to move the print nozzle over the extrusion path. Over time, belts can slip, stretch, or skip a tooth. This can result in minor imperfections that cannot be detected until printing is complete. Conversely, the Essentium HSE 180 Series does not use belts or pulleys, but rather fully digital, high-speed, X-Y linear servo motor technology (more on that in part two). Equipped with encoders, the Essentium HSE 180•S Series has the intelligence to precisely calibrate nozzle position against fixed reference points for unmatched positional accuracy, thus delivering the repeatability required for production at scale.

At Essentium, we view 3D printers as a tool for customers to create their innovations. We don’t place limits on software, materials, or customer control over the AM process. In fact, we offer a series of three models for customers working with low temperature, standard, or high-temperature materials and applications. The Essentium HSE 180 Series offers the speed, strength, and scale to support your factory floor in ways other 3D printers cannot. The second part of this series will examine how the Essentium HSE 3D Printing Platform is different from the perspective of Dependability and Reliability.

Request a demonstration and learn more about why the HSE 3D Printing Platform is more than the sum of its parts.

Essentium, Inc. provides industrial 3D printing solutions that are disrupting traditional manufacturing processes by bringing product strength and production speed together, at scale, with an open ecosystem and material set. Essentium manufactures and delivers innovative industrial 3D printers and materials enabling the world’s top manufacturers to bridge the gap between 3D printing and machining to embrace the future of additive manufacturing.